Dirigible airship.



J. SPITER.

DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED AuG.31. 1914.

wwwa,

JMJ? '1. SPTERI.

DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP. AP-PL|cAT|oN min Aus.31, |9r4.

.Patented Apr. 6, 19.15.'

MHTNESK ES mw# J. SPITERI.

DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP, APPLlcATloN min Aue. 31. 1914.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTIH a@ B Jm: fifgfi XX y f Attorney.

VITNESSES A Patented' Apr. 61I 1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4- INVENTOR Jas. S/Jieri y l. SPITERL DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP.APPLICATIONv man Aue. 31. 1914.

1,1 @2M v Patented Apr. 6, 1915..

J. SPITERI.

. DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP.

APPLICATION FILED Aue.3|, 19m.

l 34,2% m Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

gl CM@ WITNESSES INvENTon Jamfjaiieri JOSEPH SPITEBI, OF WINNIPEG,MANITOBA, CANADA.

DIRIGIBLE AIBSHIP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1915.

Application led August 31, 1914. Serial No. 859,392.

T0 all Awhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH Srrrnm, of the city of linnipeg, in theProvince of Manitoba, Canada, haveinvented certain new and usefulImprovements in Dirigible Airships, Aof which the following is thespecification.

The invention relates to improvementsin dirigible balloons and theobjects of the 111- vention are as follows: to provide an improved formof gas container or body which will ellect great stability and presentsa plurality of distinct compartments all connected, but arranged so thatthey can be f closed od one from he other: to provide an expansionchamber in combination with and connected to the gas container arrangedto receive the gas discharged automatically from the gas container byreason of the natural tendency of the gas to expand due to changes inpressure in the varying altitudes: to provide an improved form ofsteering mechanism whereby the airship may be readily navigated, thecomplete mechanism being under the control'of a single attendant andbeing particularly positive in its action to provide an improved meansof propulsion and propelling mechanisms in tandem, the latter beingarranged so that they can be operated independently or together and whenoperating together will act in synchronism: to provide a device inconnection with the propelling mechanism and the propcllers which willeffect the driving of the propellers uponr the propelling device orengine reaching a certain predetermined speed of rotation: and lastly toprovide a dirigible airship having the body thereof constructed to cutthrough the air in flight with a minimlmi amount of resistance anddesigned further to provide ample accommodation for passengers, pilotsand fuel While retaining proper balance.

Nith the above objects in view the invention consists essentially in thearrangement and construction of parts hereinafter more particularlydescribed and later pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 represents a side view of the complete airship. Fig. 2represents a plan view. Fig. 3 represents a rear end view. Fig. 4represents an enlarged detailed vertical sectional view. Fig. 5represents an enlarged detailed perspective view of the steeringrudder.' Fig. 6 represents an enlarged detailedside view of the Steling,neath the engine room i 10 for gasolene or other such fuel.

post, associated and adjoining parts. Fig. 7 represents an enlargeddetailed vertical sectional view through a portion of three gascompartments in diderent sections showing the manner in which they areconnected. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detailed side view of one of the leverslocated in advance of one of the engines. Fig. 9is an'enlarged detailedvertical sectional view of the spring pressed locking pin connecting thelevers. Fig. 10 represents a side view of the parts appearing in Fig. 9.Fig. 11 represents an enlarged detailed side view of a portion of thecross shaft controlling the elevating rudder. Fig. 12 represents anenlarged detailed vertical sectional view through the clutch members onthe engine shaft. Fig. 13 represents an enlarged detailed face view ofthe female clutch member and adjoining parts. Fig. 14 is an enlargeddetailed plan view of the engines showing the adjusting rod controllingthe gasolene feed to the engines. Fig. 15 represents a face view of oneof the engine carbureters. Fig. 16 is an enlarged detailed verticalsectional view of the gas pipe and contained valves appearing betweenthe gas container and the expansion chamber. Fig. 17 represents a planview of the quadrant associated with the levers. Fig. 18 represents aside view of a portion of the quadrant. Fig. 19 is an enlarged detailedside view of one of the levers and adjoining parts located to the rearof the engines.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in each figure.

1 represents the body or gas container of the dirigible formed from asu'table frame structure inclosed within an envelop and presenting amore or less cylindrical body with rounded ends and a pair oflongitudinally extending outstanding wings 2 and 3. Within the body Ihave reserved space for an engine room as indicated at 4 and d1- rectlybeneath the engine room I have located a cabin 5, a storage compartment6, )ilot house 7 and a wireless room 8, these all. being approachedthrough a centrally located entrance way I have fitted a tank 9. In theilooring be- 11 is a promenade deck associated l the cabin. I Y,

The as chamber isdlvide'd into a number of distinct compartments .byinternalvpari titions passing between the Walls of the engine room andthe envelop. In the present instance the body is divided by three ver#tically disposed partitions 12, 13.I and 14 into four sections, aforward section 15', two central sections 16 and 17 and a rear section18. These sections are distinct and are again subdivided by partitions19 into distinct compartments 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, theselatter compartments being best shown in Fig. 4 of the drawing. In thepresent dirigible I have in this Way provided thirty-two distinctcompartments. It will here be noticed that the compartments 21 and 26open to the wings 2 and 3 in each division.

28 is a main gas supply pipe passing along the engine room and 29, 30,31 and 32 are branch pipes leading from the main pipe and connected bymeans of similar valves 33 with the respective compartments in eachsection.

The supply pipe is fitted with a main valve 34 While the extending endslof the branch pipes are supplied each with a controlling valve 35 withthe result that when the respective compartments are inflated or filledwith gas and the main and controlling valves closed the gas cannotescape from the compartments. The adjoining sections are connected oneto the other by spanner pipes 36 fitted with valves 37, there being aSpanner pipe fitted with a valve connecting each similar pair ofcompartments adjacent to each other on opposite sides of the transversepartitions. v

Owing to the above arrangement of valves I am able at, any time to cutoff one section from another or any compartment from the others. Theobject of this is obviously to allow of the repair 'of any compartmentWithout effecting the other compartments. For example if the envelop'became torn at any point I am able by manipulating the valves to closeoff the compartment where the tear appears andthe gas will only escapefrom the one compartment' and not lfrom the others.

38,39 and 40 are pairs of independent gas compartments located in theceiling of the engine room and independently iniiatable from the mainsupply pipe.

41 is an expansion chamber mounted on the top of the body and opening tothe same through forward and rear pairs of gas pipes 42 and 43. Thepipes each contain a spring pressed ball valve 44 which controls thepass age of the gas from the container to the eX- pansion chamber and aspringpressed pop valve. 45 which controls the escape of the gas fromthe expansion chamber to atmosphere.

I might here explain that heretofore in ascending to higher altitudes ithas been necessary, owing to the drop in pressure, to release. a certainamount of the gas with lwhich the envelop is inliated to avoid thepossible destruction of the envelop due to the expansion of the gas.This gas is consequently lost. In my airship the springs controlling thevalves 44 are constructed such that the gas is permitted to expand intothe expansion chambers when'y higher altitudes are reached. The aboveavoids releasing the gas as the action is entirely automatic and 1t alsoeffects the saving of the gas as it is now allowed under ordinaryconditions to escape to atmosphere. In event of an eX- ceptionally highaltitude being reached and the capacity of the envelop and the expan`sion chamber being not suiicient to accomodate the gas, then under thiscondition the gas is allowed to escape to atmosphere through the valves45, the springs controlling these valves being designed to operate torelease the valve when the gas pressure is sufficiently great.

46 is an elevating rudder located at the front of the body7 andpivotally mounted on a pair of brackets 47 extending from the body.

48 is a cross shaft rotatably mounted in the forward end or nose of theenvelop and provided centrally with a chain wheel 49 and at either endwith extending cranks 50 fitted with pins 51 operating in slots 52.located within the ends of arms 52 extending rearwardly from theelevating rudder.

522 are cushioning springs connected to the rear ends of the arms and tothe framework of the body at points above and below the arms.

53 is a socket mounted on the floor of the pilot house and 53 is asteering post mounted in the socket and supplied with a worm 532 and ahand Wheel 53X. I

54 is a sleeve rotatably mounted on the steering post and fitted with aworm 5.4 and a hand Wheel 542.

A pair of standards 55 are mounted in the floor of the pilot house atopposite sides of the socket and carry a pair of shafts 55 and 552, theshaft 55 being supplied with a worm wheel 55 meshing with the worm 54While the shaft 552v is fitted With a Worm Wheel 55 meshing with theWorm 532. A chain 56 connects the chain-Wheel 49 with a similar chainWheel mounted on ythe shaft` 55. By manipulating the hand wheel 542 I amable to elevate or depress the elevating rudder as it will be seen thechain 56 Will operate the cross shaft and swing the cranks to effect theturning of the arms 52 and the consequent movement of the elevatingrudder. The springs are supplied to retain the elevating rudder in ahorizontal position in event of the rudder controlling apparatusbreaking. l

57 is a steering rudder located at the back end of the envelop. It isconstructed as now described.

r bers are engaged 58 is a substantially rectangular frame carried bysuitable arms 58 attached to the body of the airship. Within the frame Ihave mounted a plurality of similar vertically disposed swiveledrectangular rudder blades 59 connected one to the other by a connectingstrip 60 which causes the said blades to turn together. The lower pivotof the central blade projects beyond the frame and is formed into aT-head 59 to which I have connected cables 61 and 61 which passforwardly under suitable guide rollers to the pilot house where they arewound on and connected to a drum 612 fixed on the shaft By thisconstruction the rudder is completely controlled by the hand wheel 53".rlhe construction above described provides a very convenient controlboth for the elevating and the steering rudders.

62 and G3 are internal combustion engines of any approved type mountedin the fioor of the engine room.

62 and 63 represent the engine shafts.

64, 6l. 65 and 65 represent pairs of front and rear outstandingpropeller shafts rotatably mounted in suitable brackets 66 secured tothe sides of the body, the propeller shafts passing lengthwise parallelwith the body and being provided eachwith a chain wheel 67 and front andrear propeller blades 67 and 672.

68 is a centrally located `propeller shaft suitably mounted in the bodyand passing longitudinally within the engine roon This shaft carries apropeller blade 68 located at the forward end and immediately behind theelevating rudder and is fitted also with chain wheels 69 and 69 for apurpose later explained. The engine shafts in both instances project ateither end through the crank casings and are fitted with speciallydesigned clutch members 'now described and best shown in Figs. 12 and 13of the drawings.

70 is a male clutch member rotatably mounted on the protruding end ofthe engine shaft and prevented from end displacement by means of acollar 70 shrunk on the shaft.

7l is a band or ring slipped onto one end of the said clutch memberwhich is contracted to receive it and 71 is a cylindrical shell screwthreaded onto the end of the clutch member and holding the band inposition. The'shell has the extending end coned out to present aconedface 7lX designed to engage with the beveled face 72X of a femaleclutch member 72 feathered on the end of the shaft and ,rotatabletherewith. The band and the female clutch member are connected by flyballs 73 carried by links 73 attached tothe respective parts. The shellis supplied with extending spring catches 74 designed when the clutchmeinto spring into suitable notches 74 presented by the female clutchvmember. The male clutch member is supplied with chain wheels 75 and 75while the female clutch member is formed with a flange or disk 7 2'.

76 is a pivoted lever having the lower end thereof forked and bearing onthe face of the disk and the upper end thereof receiving a screw 76'attached by means of a spring 762 to the body of the engine and fittedwith an adjusting nut 76". The spring and lever are designed to actagainst the fly balls. The' tension of the spring can be adjusted at anytime by adjusting the nut 7 6X. The faces 7lX and 72X when engaged causethe male clutch member to rotate with the female clutch member. In orderto insure a positive drive when these parts are engaged I have suppliedthe adjacent ends of the clutch members with engaging teeth 77. Thechain wheels 75 and 75 of the clutches to the rear of the engines areconnected by chains 78 and 78 with the cha-in wheels 67 of theoutstanding propeller shafts. The clutch members in advance of theengines are connected through chains 79 and 79 with the chain wheels 69and 69 hereinbefore referred to. In this way in each case control thefront propeller while the rear clutches control the side or outstandingpropellers. Controlling levers as now described are located adjoiningthe 'front clutches in each instance.

80 and 81 are levers mounted on a cross shaft 82 carried in suitablebearings 82 located on the floor of the engine room. The lever 81 issecured to the shaft so that when operated the shaft is caused to rotatewith the lever. The lever' 80 is rotatably mounted on the shaft andcarries a spring pressed locking pin 83 designed to enter a socket 83formed in the lever 81, the pin when so engaged effecting the locking ofthe one lever to the other.

In order that the pin can be held in a withdrawn position I have fittedit with an arm 83X normally countersunk in the face of the lever 80 butdesigned when the pin is withdrawn and turned to engage with the face ofthe lever and retain the end of the pin free of the socket.

84 is a quadrant presenting a pair of guide slots 84 and 812 whichreceive the levers. The lever 81 is supplied with a speciallyconstructed spring pressed detent 85 engagethe forward clutches l ablewith and operating over teeth 8e presented by the quadrant. The lever 80carries an adjusting screw 86 through a slot 862 formed in one of vthequadrant guides. By tightening the screw at any location 'one can fixthe position of the lever 80. The detent 85 is designed so that whenwithdrawn from the teeth and turned one half turn and released it 'willbecompletely clear of the teeth.` The shafts which extends (-82 e, carryoutstanding forked arms 82* arrangedto bear against the face of theflanges or disks 72 of the front clutch members. The levers 8x0 areconnected by an adjustable -linkf87 so that the front levers can be`manipulated by thel movement of the back levers.r I'

The levers 81'areconnectedthrough links 81o with levers y'88h adjoiningthe back clutches in each instance, the latter levers extending fromcross shafts 88 mounted on the engine room Hoor anditted with forkedarms identical to those-'82x and bearing on the Hanges of the rearclutches.

It will be seen from the above connections that if the locking pins 83are in the sockets the clutch members of both engines can be controlledby manipulating either one or other Yof the levers and also that if thelocking'pins are withdrawn and locked `out of the sockets it isnecessary to independently manipulate each of the levers 80 and 81 tocontrol the clutches. i

fI wish now to explain the action of the parts best shown in Fig. 12 ofthe drawings assuming the engines running 4and the shafts 62 and 63rotating. It will bev seen that the vfemale clutch members are causedt'o rotate with the shafts the male clutch members remaining stationary,while the band slips in respectto them. However as soon as the enginelshafts ha\'e gained sufficient speed to cause the Hy balls tocounteract the actions of the springs 762 the female clutch members willHy in and engage with the mail clutch members and consequently rotatethem effecting the rotation of the propellers. This insures that t-hedriving load will not be placed on the engine until it has picked up orreached a certain speed of rotation` the time at which the engagement ofthe clutch members occurs depending entirely on the adjustment of thesprings.

In the above explanation it is considered that the levers are placed ina position to allow the female clutch members to slide on the shaft toengage with the male clutch members, this action not being possible un;

less the outstanding forked arms controlled away from the disks orflanges.

by the levers 80, 81 and 88 are withdrawn On the other hand by retainingthe last mentioned forked arms in a position engaging with the disks andwith the levers locked the engines can be running without driving thepropellers as will readily be understood.

I have considered it advisable to control the supplyof gasolene fed' tothe engines ina manner such that both engines will get the same firingmixture.

In Figs. 1l and 15 carbureters 89 and 90 are. shown, these beingconnected to the intake manifolds'of the engines in the ordinary way andto the gasolene. feed pipe 91 which leads to the gasolene tank l0already referred-itc. do notfwish toienterlinto the detailedconstruction of these carbureters other than that I wish to state thevalves controlling the feeding of thegasolene are regulated andAcontrolled by an adjusting rod 92 fitted with Worms 9 3 or othensuchcontrivances arranged to open or close the valves of the carbureters anequal amount in both engines upon the adjusting rod be-- ing turned bymeans ofthe hand wheel 94 .located at the rear end thereof. A` graduatedscale 95 is also supplied on the carbureters and the valves thereof arefitted with index pointers 95 which operate over the scales. In this Wayreading can be taken at any time to show exactly what quantity ofgasolene is being fed to the engines I have supplied the engines alsowith speed .counters 96, these being of anv approved form. In the aboveway I am able to synchronize so to speak the two engines as the.engineer in charge can readily detect by ta-king readings both from theca-rbureters'and from the speed indicators, any` change which mightoccur in the operation of the engines.

I consider it very important in. devices of this kind to have all theengines operating under the same conditions and as -nearly alike aspossible. Although I have only de,-V scribed two engines it will beunderstood that any number of'them might be connecty ed up in the samemanner as the two herein shown and further any number of side propellerscould be used in conjunction with the engines, the number depending onthe propulsion required. l

I wish it to be noted that the forward and rear ends of the body arerounded andY that the forward and rear ends of the wings 2 and 3 arebrought to an edge. This edects the easy passage of the airship throughthe air in Hight as will readily be understood by those familiar withthe operation of dirigibles.

lVlien the a-irship is in actual Hight the forward rudder is manipulatedfor ascending or descending while the rear rudder is used for turningpurposes. The forward rudder is shaped to cut through the air with aminimum resistance while the rear rudder is constructed to present alarge a-ir resistance and eii'ect a quick and positive turning of theairship.

It will be noticed that the engines and cabins all appear below thewings. This effects stability in Hight as any turning movement aroundthe longitudinal axis of the dirigible is immediately counter-acted bythe extending wings.

'hat I claim as my invention is 1. In a dirigible ail-ship a cylindricalgas containing body sub-divided by cross partitions into distinctsections and having the sections individually sub-divided by a plu#rality of partitions into a plurality of comllt 'Lac

f rality of partitions intoa plurality partments, means for separatelyiniating the sections and valve controlled means connecting the adjacentcompartments of the respective sections, specified.

2. In a dirigible airship, a cylindrical gas containing body sub-dividedby cross partitions into distinct sections and having the sectionsindividually sub-divided by a pluof compartments, a feed pipe, a branchpipe for each section valve controlled inlet pipes connecting the branchpipes with the compartments and valve controlledmeans connecting thecompartments of adjacent sections, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a dirigible airship, in combination a cylindrical gas containerhaving adjacent longitudinally disposed outstanding side wings openingto the interior of the container and partitions passing across thecontainer and Wings and dividing the Same into a plurality of gassections, as and for the purpose specied.

4. In a dirigible airship, in combination, a cylindrical gas containerhaving longitudinally disposed outstanding side Wings opening to theinterior of the container, partitions passing across the container andWings and d'viding the same into a pluas and for the purpose.

leading from the feed pipe,

rality of gas sections, and further partitions in the respectivesections sections each into a plurality of compartments, as and Jfor the`*purpose specified.

5. In a dirigible airship the combination With a gas container f.orbody, of an expansion chamber mounted on the body, gas pipes connectingthe expansion chamber with the body, spring pressed ball valves locatedin the pipes and spring pressed pop valves inserted in the pipes andVdesigned to release under excessive pressure the expansion chamber toatmosphere, as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a dirigible airship the combination with a gas container, of anexpansion chamber mounted 0n the container, an automatically controlledconnection between the container and the expansion chamber designed torelease the gas under excessive pressure in the container to ytheexpansion chamber and automatically operated means designed to releasethe gas under excessive pressure in the expansion chamber t0 atmosphere,as and for the purpose specified.

Signed at 'Winnipeg this 31st day of J anuary, 1914.

JOSEPH SPITERI.

In the presence oli- J. CONTI, G. S. BOXBURGH.

the gases inl subdividing the

